Push button fastener



Oct. 13, 1964 E. G. GRIFFITHS PUSH BUTTON FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1961 INVENTOR.

EDWARD G. GRIFFITHS HIS ATTORNEY.

Oct. 13, 1964 E. s. GRIFFITHS 3,152,322

PUSH BUTTON FASTENER Filed Oct. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 kill INVENTOR.

EDWARD G. GRIFFITHS avyigy HIS ATTORNEY.

, seen when the door is in closed position.

it is free to open.

s,is2,s22 Pusu BIUT'IQN FASTENER Edward G. Gritliths, Maywood, Nah, assignor to Camloe Fastener Corporation, Paramus, NJ incorporation of New York Filed Oct. 16, 1 961, Ser. No. 145,416

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-61) cations, it is especially suitable for panels and doors where fast access is desirable.

Fasteners hertofore have generally been designed in 3,152,822 Patented Get. 13, 1964 FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 4.

such manner that the handle or knob must be actuated in one direction for locking and in another direction for unlocking. Furtherfore, it is necessary to firmly grip the. operating member in order to lock or unlock the fastener. The present invention, however, is locked merely by' pushing a button and unlocked by pushing the same button in the same manner.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide an improved fastening device which eliminates the necessity of grasping the operating member.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a fastener which is operated by one push button and requiring the same movement to unlock as is required to lock the device.

In most instances the push button element is a headed stud or plunger passing through an opening in a member or panel to be removably mounted in a fixed structure on which the receptacle is carried, but in other installations, such as a cabinet door, the outer end of the stud is provided with a screw thread which is simply screwed into the door from the inside and therefore it is not Thus when the door is pushed to closed position the stud becomes locked within the receptacle and when it is pushed again In such an arrangement the door itself becomes the push button element. In one form of the invention the receptacle which includes a cam element 'is fixed against rotation and the stud and cross-pin are free to rotate, and in another form the reverse is true.

In still another form both the receptacle and stud are free to rotate and in this arrangement no indexing between cam and cross-pin is every necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sequentially operated push button fastener, 'i.e., one pushing motion to lock and a similar pushing motion to release, wherein both the locking and'unlocking actions are positive, and failure of the unlocking action is a virtual impossibility, and this certainty of operation is not affected ifthe grip thickness is changed. This latter feature is particularly important for in many push button fasteners in the past an increase or a decrease in thickness of the removable panel would probably not prevent effective locking action but release could not be achieved.

The push button fastener of the present invention is particularly useful in places which are difiicult of access since nothing need be grasped to secure the locking action. It can be embodied in a stud fastener of the rotary type where successive action turns the stud in fixed serves to retain the stud in position.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates the development of the two cams and the relationship of their cam surfaces.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation partly in section of a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a central sectiontaken through a modified form of push button fasteners where both the stud and the cam section of the receptacle are free to rotate.

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 8-.8 of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a fragmentary showing of the application of the invention to a cabinet door latch.

The push button fastener includes two main sections, viz., a stud assembly generally indicated It} (FIG. 1) and a receptacle assembly generally indicated 12. In this illustration the receptacle assembly 12 is mounted upon a frame 14 by rivets 16 inserted through holes in ears 18 which project from a circular housing 20. An opening 22 is formed in the frame 14 to receive the stud assembly 16) when in locked position. A circular index ing cam 24 is secured in one end of the housing 20 and is provided with a central opening 25 to receive a stud 26. A circular detent cam 28 is positioned Within the housing 2%.- in such a manner that the cam surfaces face each other but are spaced apart to form a passageway 29 sufiiciently wide to allow a follower in the form of a crosspin 30 to pass therebetween. The crosspin 30 is mounted in the endof the stud 26 and projects therefrom in a T-shaped form. A central opening 32 is formed in the detent cam 28 to receive the stud 26 and slots 34 forming extensions of the central opening are also provided in the cam 28 to allow passage of the crosspin 3% into the passageway 29.

The outer or upper end of the stud 26 is rotatably mounted within a button 36. A pin or retaining ring 38 which projects into a circular groove 40 in the stud 26 The button 36 is slidably received in a cup 42 in a manner projecting from the open end thereof and is resiliently supported by a spring 44 positioned between the bottomot the cup 4-2 andthe inside of the button 36. The spring 44 furthermore surrounds the stud 26 which projects through a hole 46 in the bottom of the cup 42 and the crosspin 30 acts as a stop as the spring 44 urges the button 36 outwardly. The stud assembly 10 is mounted in a hole 48 in a removable panel 5i) and retained at one side by a flange 52 upon the cup 42 and at the outer side by a grip ring 54 which is received in a counterbored hole 56 in the panel Ell.

Assuming now that the stud assembly 10 has been mounted in the panel 50 as ,described'above and that the receptacle assembly 12 has been mounted in the frame 14, the fastening operation is accomplished by placing the panel 50 upon the frame 14 so that the stud assembly (or assemblies if more than one is used) is aligned with and projects into the opening 22 in the frame 14. As soon as the stud assembly has been so aligned with opening 22 it is only necessaryto push it further into the opening and the crosspin automatically aligns itself with the slot 34 in the cam 28. The button 36 is then pressed, compressing the spring 44 and pushing the stud 26 and crosspin 30 through the slot 34, into the passageway 29. As mentioned above, the crosspin30 acts as the cam follower which tracks the surface contours of the cams 28 and 24-. As the crosspin enters the passageway 29 from the slot 34 it first strikes an inclined surface 60 upon the indexing cam 24 which guides the crosspin 30 in a circular path until it stops at the end of the inclined surface 60 in a detent 61. At this point the button 36 is released and the force of the spring 44 returns the button toward its original position. However, as the spring 26 begins to return the button, and consequently the stud 26 and crosspin 30, the crosspin strikes an inclined surface 70 upon the detent cam 28, under which surface the crosspin has become aligned by virtue of its circular travel described above. The inclined surface '70 also guides the crosspin 30 in a circular path, continuing in the same direction as initiated by the inclined section 60, until it stops at the end of the inclined surface 70 in a detent '71. The fastener is now in locked position as best illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3.

To unlock the fastener the button 36 is again pressed, thus moving the crosspin 30 out of its locked position in the detent 71 and causing it to strike another inclined surface 600: upon the indexing cam 24 which rotates the pin, as described above, still in the same direction, until it stops in another detent 61a at the end of the incline 60a. At this point the button 36 is released and the spring 44 returns the stud 2d and crosspin 30 to its original position. In travelling to its original position the crosspin strikes another inclined surface 72 upon the detent cam 28 which again rotates the pin and in the same direction and guides it in to the slot 34 where the panel is then removed.

It will be noted that the inclined surfaces 60 and 60a of the cam 24 guide the crosspin 30 in the passageway 29 into alignment with the corresponding opposed inclined surfaces 70 and 72, respectively, of the cam 28.

A recapitulation of the sequence of operation can be vhad by referring to FIG. which shows the development of the cams at a particular diameter and their relative position. The entrance slot 34 is designated at one side as the 0 position at the other as 180. The dotted circles represent the various positions of the crosspin 30 during its travel. Position at shows the crosspin entering the slot 34 and position b following inclined surface 60 of cam 24 to position 0 in detent 61 or the limit of the pushing operation on the button 36. The button is then released and the spring 44 carries the crosspin 30 into position d, following inclined surface 70 of cam 28 into position e in the detent 71 or locked position. To unlock, the button is again pressed, moving the crosspin 30 to position f following the inclined surface 60a of the cam 24 into position g in the detent 61a at the limit of the pushing operation. The button is then released and the spring 44 carries the crosspin to position h following the inclined cam surface 72 into position k in the slot 34 or unlocked position.

The above embodiment is merely illustrative and many variations are feasible such as that illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the identical cam arrangement is used except that a receptacle 80 with the cams enclosed is rotatably mounted upon a frame 82. A stud 84 with cross pin (not shown) is mounted either rotatably or non-rotatably in a door frame 86 which carries a glass window 88 and is hinged at its opposite end (not shown) in an applica tion such as is used for a ceiling fixture for a fluorescent light. The force of gravity of the door 86 in the direction of the arrow Geliminates the need for a spring. This illustration shows the door being held in a fastened or locked position and it can be unlocked merely by pushing the door upwardly to its limit, as described above in respect to the button 36, and allowing it to drop down, by gravity, into unlocked position.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 7 boththe stud and the cam section of the receptacle are free to rotate. The stud assembly comprises, a push button stud 90 having an enlarged head 91 which is received within a tapered seat 92 at the upper end of a sleeve 94 which is slidable in a fixed cup 96. This cup is received in an opening 98 in an upper sheet 99 and the upper end of the cup is rolled over at 100 to secure it against downward travel in the opening. A lock washer 101 secures it against upward travel.

A shoulder 97 formed on the lower surface of the tapered seat 92 engages the upper end of a spring 102 and the lower end thereof is seated on the base 104 of the cup. The stud has a crosspin 105 at its lower end.

The receptacle has a single hole mounting instead of the three hole arrangement of FIG. 1. To this end the lower sheet 106 has a hole 108 which is countersunk at 104 and this hole receives a tubular receptacle 110 which is externally threaded at 111 and has a flared head 112 received in the countersunk hole. The receptacle is se cured within the hole by a thin nut 114 which engages an internal toothed washer 116.

The receptacle has a base wall 118 received in an annular seat 119 with the edges rolled over at 120. This lowerwall supports the cam assembly which includes a lower part 121 and an upper part 122 having a central opening 123 and lateral extensions 124 shaped to pass the crosspin therethrough. Automatic indexing is achieved by inverted V-shaped indexing surfaces 126 which direct the crosspin into the lateral extensions. The cam surfaces in cam elements 121 and 122 are the same as in the earlies embodiments of the invention.

FIG.,9 shows an application of the present invention to a cabinet door latch and differs only slightly from the fluorescent lighting application of FIG. 6. The receptacle 130 may be of precisely the same construction as that shown at 80 in FIG. 6 except that it has an ear 131 to receive a screw for attachment to a fixed wall 132 of the cabinet. The cam structure enclosed in the receptacle is freely rotatable so that no indexing is required.

The stud 134 has a tapered Wood screw thread 136 at its outer end and is screwed into a door 138 by means of a noncircular wrench receiving section 139. At its inner end the stud has a crosspin 140 which is engaged by a washer 141 which is urged outwardly by means of a coil spring 142.

The drawing shows the stud about to enter the recep tacle and when it does so enter the washer contacts the inner cam asembly (not shown) and the crosspin engages the cam surfaces as earlier pointed out. When the door is moved inwardly a second time the crosspin becomes disengaged from the cam surface and the spring urges the door outwardly.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodi ments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein. a

What I claim is:

1. An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener element, a receptacle element, means mounting said elements respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of one of the elements in the direction of an axis and for relative rotary motion of said elements with respect to each other around said axis, interengageable means on said elements adapted to hold said members in assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said elements, means responsive to a first rectilinear movement of said one element along said axis for producing a first relative rotary movement of said elements in one direction around said axis to engage said interengageable means and means responsive to a second rectilinear movement of said one element along said axis for producing a second relative rotary movement of said elements in said one direction around said axis to disengage said interengageable means.

.2. An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener element, a receptacle element, means mounting said ele ments respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of one of said elements along an axis and for relative rotary motion of said elements around said axis, means normally biasing said one element for movement in one direction along said axis, interengageable means on said elements adapted to hold said members in assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said elements, means responsive to .a first rectilinear movement of said one element in the other direction along said axis for producing a first relative rotary movement of said elements in one direction around said axis to engage said interengageable means and means responsive to a second rectilinear movement of said one element in said other direction along said axis for producing a second relative rotary movement of said elements in said one direction around said axis to disengage said interengageable means.

3. An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener, a receptacle, means mounting said fastener and said receptacle respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of said fastener along an axis and for relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle around said axis, interengageable means on said fastener and on said receptacle for holding said members in assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle, means responsive to a first rectilinear movement of said fastener along said axis for producing a first relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle in one direction around said am's for engaging said interengageable means and means responsive to a second rectilinear movement of said fastener along said axis for producing a second relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle in said one direction around :said axis to disengage, said interengageable means.

4. An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener,

' a receptacle, means mounting said fastener and said receptacle respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of said fastener along an axis and for relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle around said axis, interengageable means on said fastener and on said receptacle for holding said members in assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle, resilient means normally urging said fastener to move in one direction along said axis, means responsive to a first rectilinear movement of said fastener element in the other direction along said axis for producing a first relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle in one direction around said axis for engaging said interengageable means and means responsive to a second rectilinear movement of said fastener in said other direction around said axis for producing a second relative rotary movementof said fastener and said receptacle in said one direction around said axis to disengage said interengageable means.

5; An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener, a

receptacle, means mounting said fastener and said recepengageable means, said cam tracks and said follower and said urging means coacting to produce a first relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle in response to a first rectilinear movement of said fastener in the other direction along said axis for engaging said interengageable means and said cam tracksand said follower and said urging means coacting to produce a second relative rotary movement of said fastener in response to a second rectilinear movement of said fastener in said other direction along said axis for disengaging said interengageable means.

6. An assembly for holding a pair of members in assembled relationship including in combination a fastener, a receptacle, means mounting said fastener and said receptacle respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of said fastener along an axis and for relative rotary movement of said fastener. and said receptacle around said axis, interengageable means comprising a follower on said fastener and a detent on said receptacle for holding said members in assembled relationship, means normally urging said fastener to move in one direction along said axis, respective first and second opposed cam tracks carried by said receptacle, said first cam track comprising a first cam surface and a third cam surface, said second cam track comprising a second cam surface and a fourth cam surface, said fastener being adapted to be actuated to move in the other direction along said axis to bring said follower into engagement with said first cam surface to initiate a first relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle, said urging means being adapted to bring said follower into engagement with said second cam surface, to complete said first relative rotary movement to bring said follower into said detent, said fastener being adapted to be actuated to move in said other direction to move said follower out of said detent and into engagement with said third cam surface to initiate a second relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle, said tively on said members for rectilinear movement of one tacle respectively on said members for rectilinear movement of said fastener along an axis and for relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle around said axis, interengageable means on said fastener and on said receptacle for holding said membersin assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said fastener and said receptacle, respective opposed cam tracks carried by said receptacle, a follower element carried by said fastener, means normally urging said fastener to move in one direction along said axis, said follower comprising one of said interof the elements along an axis and for relative rotary motion of said elements with respect to each other around said axis, interengageable means on said elements adapted to hold said members in assembled relationship, said interengageable means being responsive to relative rotary movement of said elements, means responsive to a first rectilinear movement of said one element along said axis for producing a first relative rotary movement of said elements in one direction around said axis-to engage said interengageable means and means responsive to a second rectilinear movement of said one element along said axis for producing a second relative rotary movement of said elements in said one direction around said axis for disengaging said interengageable means.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 l52 822 October 13, 1964 Edward Ga Griffiths that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and corrected below.

Column 5 line 54E for "around" read along Signed and sealed this 19th day of January 1965.

,(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST w." SWIDER' Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR HOLDING A PAIR OF MEMBERS IN ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A FASTENER ELEMENT, A RECEPTACLE ELEMENT, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ELEMENTS RESPECTIVELY ON SAID MEMBERS FOR RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT OF ONE OF THE ELEMENTS IN THE DIRECTION OF AN AXIS AND FOR RELATIVE ROTARY MOTION OF SAID ELEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AROUND SAID AXIS, INTERENGAGEABLE MEANS ON SAID ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID MEMBERS IN ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP, SAID INTERENGAGEABLE MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE ROTARY MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A FIRST RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE ELEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS FOR PRODUCING A FIRST RELATIVE ROTARY MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS IN ONE DIRECTION AROUND SAID AXIS TO ENGAGE SAID INTERENGAGEABLE MEANS AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A SECOND RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE ELEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS FOR PRODUCING A SECOND RELATIVE ROTARY MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AROUND SAID AXIS TO DISENGAGE SAID INTERENGAGEABLE MEANS. 